legal update > Nov 25, 2009 letter from St. John's Leadership
Dear St. John’s Family,
Today we received the judgment from the B.C Supreme Court. The accompanying news release from ANiC gives you a very brief thumbnail sketch of the decision. It is a thick document and will take some time to fully digest.
We are grateful and thankful to God that we live in a country with a strong tradition of the rule of law, and remember right now especially all those who suffer for the Gospel in countries where their lives are in peril as a result.
We are grateful to God for his work amongst us even through this difficult time. We will continue to rely on God in every step as we make decisions about our future moving forward.
We are mindful that this decision may not be the end of the road. Either party may yet appeal. From our side that will be a prayerfully considered and widely held decision made over the next few weeks.
We are also mindful that this decision is being watched by Anglicans across the country and around the world, and we continue to be grateful to our Anglican family for their strong support no matter where we are. We continue to pray for a unified Anglican Communion faithful to the Great Commission.
We are also grateful to our extended Christian family of all denominations in Vancouver and around the world who have continued to uphold us in prayer over this long journey.
All of the things mentioned above plus our mission and ministry and corporate life together as a parish were never on trial. These are the important things about us. We do not lose our ministry or our mission no matter whether we worship in this building or somewhere else. If a family’s house burns down or is repossessed the family is still a family they just need to live somewhere else.
Tonight we invite you to a parish prayer gathering in the church at 7:30 pm. Bishop Don Harvey will be with us as we meet, pray, sing and reflect upon God’s intention for our future. No decisions will be made. It will be a time to gather, get information, encourage and support each other and worship God. All are welcome.
Services this Sunday and all St. John’s ministries will continue exactly as planned until further notice.
Despite some sadness at this time we are, like the early church in the book of Acts, excited to see what God has in store for us on the next part of our journey. We do not doubt his faithfulness and love in any of this.
In Christ,
St. John’s (Shaughnessy) Leadership
